Rockman's Last Battle
by Queen Sunstar
Summary: Set in Hestic's world where Netto is a girl. Rockman is critically injured while he and Netto are held captive by Gauss. Rockman must then fight his most important battle yet, the battle for his life. Will he win, or will he face death by euthanasia?


**Queen Sunstar: This is a one shot for Hestic. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! **

Netto Hikari glared at her captor as he paced outside her cage. Her clothes were torn and dirty, and dirt clung to her face. She was wearing a knee length black skirt with a long sleeved white shirt. A yellow stripe ran down the sides of her skirt. An orange vest and orange shoes completed her look. Her shoulder length brown hair was tied back with a blue bandana that had a gold ring with two red trapezoids separated by two black triangles which were connected by a black line mark on it, the same as the mark Rockman bore on his chest. It had been a gift from her twin brother, Saito. Saito was gone now, dead from a fatal birth defect in his heart called HBD. Outside the metal cage, Magnets Gauss stopped to face her. He was wearing a suit that was black on one side and red on the other.

"Let me go, and I'll have Rockman spare you!" Netto snapped.

"You can go, after you tell me what I want to know." Gauss grinned ferally at the young girl.

"Sorry, my father doesn't trust me with that kind of information!" Netto rolled her eyes.

"You will tell me, or else." Gauss turned to a screen which turned on. Magnetman stood before a shackled Rockman who was forced by the heavy chains to sit on his knees and kneel forward. He looked bruised and battered. It took everything Netto had to not show any reaction.

"Magnetman, give him a jolt." Gauss grinned wickedly.

"With pleasure, sir." Magnetman formed a ball of electricity and fed it to the chains. Rockman forced himself not to scream. He would not give his captors the satisfaction of hearing him scream. Netto did the screaming. Rockman closed his eyes and blocked off all sense of pain like he used to back when he was Saito suffering from an attack of HBD.

"Will you talk now?" Gauss asked.

Rockman opened his eyes, "Don't do it, Netto! They are not really hurting me!"

"But Rockman!" Netto cried out, "It was hurting you! I could see it!"

"If you tell, we'll lose Scilabs and Dad! What ever you do, _do not give him the password!_" Rockman screamed at her..

"Magnetman, if you will." Gauss ordered, "And don't stop."

Magnetman formed several large balls of electricity and fed them as one to the chains. Rockman gritted his teeth but did not scream. Magnetman glowed suddenly as Gauss sent him battle chip data. A powerful thunderbolt was fed into the chains. This time, Rockman screamed. His body began to take damage from the onslaught of electricity. With a cruel smirk, Magnetman switched to magnet energy which was far stronger the electricity. Rockman screamed as the new energy tore through him. Netto could only watch in terror as her beloved Navi was tortured.

Dark Rockman led the way with Dark Blues following. They were close to the link to the cyberworld of Gauss's mansion. Dark Blues felt his hair standing on end.

"Electricity." he whispered to Dark Rockman.

"I'm feeling it too. We're close, so where is the darn thing?" Dark Rockman muttered back.

"How am I supposed to know? You got the info from your counterpart. You should know where it is." Dark Blues snapped back.

"Hey, my hands are glowing!" Dark Rockman shook his hands, sending bits of blue light dancing about. Dark Blues promptly smacked him with his sword, "Ow! What was that for?"

"Would you focus for five seconds and find the Link?" Dark Blues growled, "You can come back and play with the blue light later!"

"I am focusing." Dark Rockman walked a few steps away. Dark Blues followed, and tripped. He stumbled into Dark Rockman who found the Link he was looking for by falling into it. They landed ungracefully in a tangle of arms and legs inside the Mansion Cyberworld.

"I don't see anything." Blues looked over the area.

"It's a wonder he can see anything through those shades." Searchman, who had been dragged out of a sleep cycle when Enzan and Lakia had gotten word of Netto and Rockman's disappearance, grumbled. Next thing he knew, he was staring at the business end of Blues's cybersword. Nearby, Electra Star, who was guiding them to the link to Gausses Mansion Cyberworld, all but stuffed her fist into her mouth to keep from laughing. Electra Star was golden yellow and looked eerily like Electman. Her mark showed a bolt of lightening within a star, and a blue lightening bolt marked her right cheek. She knew many of the links of the Cyberworld so she was guiding them to Gausses Mansion Cyberworld.

"I heard that remark!" Blues snarled.

A pair of screens dropped down at that moment to reveal the faces of Enzan, and Lakia. Enzan looked pale from worry, his dark blue eyes clouded with grief. Lakia didn't look much better.

"Blues, stand down. Now!" Enzan ordered, his tone sharper then any sword Blues had felt before. It cut through his rage and he forced himself to step away from Searchman.

"Sorry, Enzan-sama." Blues replied, "We can handle this on our own just fine."

"I know, Blues. Lakia does have a point. My emotions are strong right now and you are picking up on them. Basically, Lakia and Searchman are here to keep us under control." Enzan rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. Blues caught himself doing the same thing.

"The Link should be right about here." Electra Star's voice broke into their thoughts, "I sense electricity."

Blues felt his hair stand on edge as did Searchman. The area took on a bluish hue, and Searchman gasped, pointing at Blues hands, who in turn gasped and pointed at Searchman's hands. Electra Star's eyes widened.

"What is happening?" Enzan asked.

"I think this is the Phenomenon." Lakia replied in awe, "I've heard stories of this. In places of high power, any Navi will find their hands glowing blue. In Navis of that element, it supposedly gives them a power boost."

"Actually, it will give a boost to compatible elemental Navis while deleting Navis of ether the same element or an element weak to that element. Why are you two standing around here for? Stop gawking at your hands and get moving. Netto isn't going to save herself!" Electra Star pointed at the Link, "Need me to drop kick you through it?"

Blues and Searchman wisely chose to enter the Link over facing the female Navi. They both had heard tales of Electra Star's prowess with electricity that could put Electman to shame.

Rockman threw his head back in an animalistic shriek of agony as Magnetman fed more energy into the chains binding him. Netto screamed along with him.

"Stop! Please stop! I'll give you the password!" Netto sobbed, "Please. Stop hurting him!"

Rockman fell forward, the chains holding him up, "Netto-kun…"

"Rock, they'll keep hurting you! I just want it to stop!" Netto reasoned.

"No… Netto-kun… You can't…" Rockman managed to lift his head up to see her.

Netto ignored him, "this is for your own good. The password is; Saito." She stared coldly at Gauss, who only grinned.

"Ever wonder what that password is for? I never meant to raid Scilabs, foolish girl." Gauss sneered.

Rockman let lose with a terrifying scream. Netto turned, and went numb from shock.

"ROCKMAN!" she screamed in horror.

"Netto! I'm sorry! Augh! I should have told you! Ahh!" Rockman's body shuddered violently, his data ripping itself apart in bursts of crimson spray. Holes appeared all over his body and began to spread rapidly. Netto almost didn't catch her beloved Navis final words as he slumped forward into unconsciousness. "N…Netto… Kun…"

"No! Rockman! Wake up! Just wake up!" Netto screamed, "What have I done? What was that password really for?"

Rockman suddenly managed to lift his head a little, "Netto…"

"Rockman!" Netto cried out, "What was that password for, Rockman?"

"Netto-kun…" Rockman pulled his dwindling strength together, "It was a failsafe, designed to take me out should I ever go vicious. Remember Forte? He went vicious and nearly destroyed Scilabs because he thought Cossack abandoned him. Grandpa had taken Cossack to the hospital because Cossack was having a heart attack. Papa called him, but Grandpa didn't get there in time to stop Forte. They didn't have anything to stop Forte, so Papa made the failsafe to stop me. I'm deleting, Netto. I hoped you would never find out about it, especially like this."

"What?" Netto stared at her beloved Navi in shock, "But you can't leave me! Losing Saito was horrible! I don't want to lose you! Can't I say anything to stop it?"

"No, Netto-kun." Rockman managed to lock eyes with his beloved Operator.

'_I failed her._' he thought painfully, '_I was supposed to protect her! Some Navi I am! It is a good thing that I'm deleting!_'

"How does it feel, Netto? You feel despair, grief, and may be horror. How does it feel, losing Saito, all over again? How does it feel, being responsible for Saito's death? Horrible, isn't it?" Gauss dropped his voice to barely above a whisper. He got the reaction he wanted. Netto stared at him, a deer caught in headlights, as her mind scrambled to come to terms with what she was hearing.

"No, it's not true. Saito died three weeks and four days after our seventh birthday. It can't be true. It's not true." Netto whispered, "You're lying!"

"Oh but I'm not lying. You know, deep down, that I'm right. Look at Rockman's face. Who do you see?" Gauss asked.

"Don't listen to him… Netto!" Rockman forced out.

Netto looked. The emerald green eyes, the short black hair, the strong chin, the small nose, the colorless lips… "Papa made him look like Saito, and act like him, but that doesn't mean he is Saito! Stop spouting ridiculous lies!"

"You may want to reconsider some of what he is telling you." Dark Rockman entered the room, "DA panels in walls, before you ask." Several battle chips clattered to the floor, "Gauss, she's mine. Take all the chips."

Netto found everything fading around her. It was very odd. One minute, she was in a cage inside Gausses Mansion, and the next, she was staring at a stack of boxes in some kind of warehouse, Dark Rockman standing behind her. Dark Rockman focused, lightening his colors.

"Netto-kun, you are safe now." He was careful to match Rockman's tones evenly. Netto turned, and threw herself into his arms. She buried her face into his chest next to his Navi mark and sobbed gratefully. Dark Rockman smiled cruelly, and quickly changed his smile into one of love as Netto looked up.

"Rockman! I knew you'd come through for me!" Netto sobbed, "I thought for sure I'd deleted you! Can we go home?"

"Not yet." Dark Rockman replied, "the Links are closed due to the battle I just fought with Magnetman to get to you. They should open sometime tomorrow."

"I'm happy you are safe." Netto looked away, "Gauss said some things. Is it true?"

"No, it is not true. I'm not Saito, even though I may look and act like him." Dark Rockman held Netto close, "I saw what you did to my counterpart. There is no recovery from that."

Netto felt her stress melt away as she relaxed. Rockman was safe. He'd come to save her like always. He would protect her from harm. She was safe, curled up in his arms.

"Weapons out and ready." Searchman ordered, his scope gun charged and ready. He sensed the glowing blade of Blues beside him. Searchman kicked the door open, and rushed into the room. It was empty. Looking about, Searchman located a cage. In it, Rockman lay, still heavily chained and badly damaged. Blues gasped, Searchman swore.

"Rock?" Blues crept to the cage, and jumped back as the bars sparked, which lit up the chains, and delivered a shock to Rockman. The small blue Navi screamed, the scream cutting through Blues as he could only watch as Rockman suffered.

"Stay… stay back… Dark… Netto…" Rockman gasped, his breath coming in short bursts, "go! Trap!"

"What do you mean?" Searchman leveled his beloved scope gun at the bars of the cage and fired. The shot only added power to the next shock Rockman felt.

"Stop, Searchman!" Blues ordered, "Enzan-sama, we've got problems! We found Rockman, but he is badly injured and not making any sense. He is in some kind of cage that powers up if we approach it, and if Searchman fires at the bars."

"Gauss is heartless!" Enzan spat, "That is an energy cage! To get Rockman out of it, we've got to overload it! Blues, give it all you've got! Don't stop! Its an order!"

"Yes, Enzan-sama." Blues walked toward the cage and began to hack at the bars with his sword. He tried to shut out Rockman's screams as each hit delivered a massive shock to his already overstrained systems. Blues felt wetness upon his cheeks and realized he was crying. Anger, he couldn't tell if it was Enzan's or his own, flowed through him as he hacked at the unyielding bars. Then it was over. The cage hissed and faded as did the chains binding Rockman, who crumbled to the floor as Blues caught and held him.

"Is he okay?" Laika whispered.

"Rockman? Can you hear me, Rockman?" Blues whispered softly.

"Netto…" came the weakened reply, "he got Netto…"

"It's going to be okay. We're going to rescue her. First, we're going to get you to Scilabs for repairs. Rest. Everything is going to be okay." Blues replied.

"Okay…" Rockman went silent, and still.

"He's massively damaged. We need to get him to Scilabs, yesterday." Searchman answered, trying to lighten the somber mood, "Netto isn't here. We're too late."

There was the sound of a fist hitting metal followed by several colorful curse words in Netfrican, Chaud, and the sound of a face palm, Laika. Blues felt his operator's burning rage at Gauss as he rose with Rockman in his arms. He pixilated out to Scilabs with Searchman.

"What are they saying?"

"Do I look like I speak Cyber Elf to you?"

"Where is X? He was a Cyber Elf once, right?"

"I'm not his personal keeper!"

"Zero, settle down. We'll find Netto."

"I am calm!"

"If that's calm, I don't want to see angry."

"Want to die, Axl?"

"Axl, stop. Leave Zero alone."

"But I always get chewed out by Zero when he is like this."

"That's it! Axl, I'm going to kill you!"

"Zero, stop! Or else, say good bye to your beloved hair!"

"WHHHAAAAT? LET ME AT HIM! LET ME AT HIM!"

"NO!"

The repair lab was pure pandimonium. Zero was struggling in Forte's iron grip to get at Blues while Axl was doing his best not to laugh. Forte only rolled his eyes. The two Cyber Beasts sniggered, only to run for their lives as Zero wrenched free of Forte and began to chase them. Trill hid behind Searchman. Laika stepped into the room and turned the volume of the computers as high as they would go. A short blast from an air horn stopped the chaos. Laika then turned down the volume.

"Now that we are all calm, lets start at the beginning. Does anyone speak Cyber Elf?" Laika asked coolly.

"X does." Axl said.

"Good, where is he?" Laika asked.

"I don't know. He left early this morning muttering something about his Cyber Elf self." Zero explained, "It was right after Netto left for school with Rockman."

"We know she never made it to school." Enzan came in.

"HE KNEW! I'M SO GONNA KILL HIM! HE KNEW!" Zero screamed.

"he knew?" Enzan asked.

"He knew!" this came from Laika, "think about it. X left around the time Netto vanished."

"He knew? Why didn't he say something?" Blues asked.

"X changed when he became a Cyber Elf. I remember those days well. It was a miracle when he gave a straight answer. We learned quickly that a straight answer met trouble." Zero explained, "He'll turn up when he decides to turn up."

X sensed for the familiar tone of Netto. He'd known she was going to get captured before she left for school. The bad thing about being a cyber elf met that he could not act unless she was in grave danger. Rockman being hurt gave him all he needed. Now, X was hovering invisibly over an intersection in cyber elf form. He'd chosen his cyber elf form because it allowed him to escape the confines of the Cyberworld.

There.

X quickly honed in on the tone as he raced toward it. Pretty soon, he hovered before a warehouse, and slipped in through the wall.

"Netto!" he called out, making sure to go corporeal.

"Papa X!" Netto raced toward him, and screamed as Dark Rockman dawned behind X, who turned.

"You can't attack me, Dark Rockman." X smirked, "Automatic deletion. A Navi must never take up arms against a Cyber Elf."

"That does not faze me." Dark Rockman grinned, "I'm the only thing keeping Rockman alive. If I delete, so does Rockman."

"I know." X replied smoothly, "Which is why you will let Netto go with me back to Scilabs."

"No can do. She's mine." Dark Rockman hissed, reaching out to snatch Netto by the arm, "Can you watch while I kill her?"

"I'll kill you if I have to." X replied coldly.

"Can you delete your son, and break your daughter's heart?" Dark Rockman spat, "You won't do it. You won't hurt Netto to save her."

"Netto, forgive my actions." X feinted right, and shot behind Dark Rockman. He then wrapped his hands around Dark Rockman's neck, "I am giving you one last chance. Let her go."

"Nope, don't wanna." Dark Rockman grinned, and choked, struggling for air.

In Scilabs…

Rockman struggled for air despite the nurse elves efforts. As fast as it started, it stopped. What they saw next brought the room to a dead halt. No one moved, or dared to breathe. On Rockman's neck, two red marks in the distinct shape of X's hands had appeared.

Back at the warehouse…

Dark Rockman gagged, trying to get himself breathing again. He looked up at X spitefully.

"What's this? Mighty Cyber Elf can't defeat me? Is it because you know that if I die, so will Rockman?" he rose, and called forth a cybersword, "I can attack you and die that way…" he lunged, and X sidestepped the blow.

"Oh come on! Rockman is way better then this! Even Axl could do better then you!" X sidestepped another blow, "Netto, I want you to run. Rockman needs you, and I'll be along shortly." X hovered up out of reach of Dark Rockman's sword, "Is that all you got?"

"No! I'm not leaving without you!" Netto replied firmly.

"Netto, go! Please, go!" X ordered again, "You have to go! Rockman is dying! He needs you more then I do right now!"

"I won't leave!" Netto walked toward him. X saw movement out of the corner of his eye and dove, taking the hit from Dark Blues that would have killed Netto. He glowed brightly, arms wrapped around the struggling girl, as he prepared to teleport. Last thing Netto heard was X's scream of agony as Dark Blues stabbed him again followed quickly by Dark Rockman with his own cybersword.

Netto blinked. It was white. Slowly, things took form around her. Faintly, she heard voices calling her name. then Scilabs repair lab flowed into place around her. She found herself looking up at a pair of blue eyes that looked relieved to see her.

"Enzan!" Netto threw herself into his waiting arms, "I'm okay now. X! where is X?"

"X? wasn't he with you?" Enzan asked, "I'm glad you're back."

"He was fighting both Dark Rockman and Dark Blues. I was there, then I'm here." Netto tried to remember more, but her mind was fuzzy. She seamed to be losing focus of her surroundings.

"Netto, stay with me!" Enzan's voice turned to one of fear.

'_What happened? What is wrong with me? I'm in your arms, right, Enzan? Why is everything fading away? I feel relaxed and happy. Am I dying?_' Netto turned her head to see a massive river of red rushing away from her. Looking up, she made out Rockman, who's eyes were open, but blank. He seamed to be reaching for her, so she reached toward him.

"Netto-kun."

"Saito-kun!"

"They are waiting, Netto-kun." Saito smiled, "Go ahead and wake up."

"What do you mean? I can't stay here?" Netto asked.

"You are not dead. You passed out from too much teleporting." Saito replied, "Enzan is waiting for you."

"But, what was the red I saw?" Netto asked.

"That was blood, X's blood. He'll be fine." Saito seemed to be fading.

"Wait! Don't go! Don't leave me all alone again!" Netto reached for her brother, but Saito stayed out of reach.

"I don't belong here, Netto. Go. Go live the future I couldn't live. I'm always with you. I've never left you." Saito was gone.

Netto found herself struggling awake. She was laying on a couch in her father's office. It was dark and quiet. Netto could hear the sounds made by the computers as they worked. Getting up, Netto walked out to the main part of the repair lab. In the DA space, X dozed as his body healed. Meijin was nearby, mopping the floor where X had bled and clearly not happy about it. Netto turned, and gasped. There was a crowd of people clustered around a capsule where her beloved Navi lay. She ran to it and pushed her way through to the capsule.

"Rockman!" Netto stared, horrified, at her Navi.

"Netto!" Enzan pulled her back, "You don't need to see. Come, let me get you a cup of hot cocoa."

"No! Why can't I be by Rockman?" Netto protested.

Laika turned, "Netto, please. Go with Enzan."

"No!" Netto protested again, "What is wrong? What is going on?"

"I'll tell you, okay? Not here. Let's go down to the cafeteria. I promise I'll explain." Enzan tried.

"Fine!" Netto let herself be pulled away from the capsule. They went down two floors to the cafeteria. Enzan bought them both hot cocoa and they found a table to sit at, "I'm waiting!"

"Netto, this isn't going to be easy to tell you. Dark Rockman and Dark Blues likely stabbed X, and since he was in Cyber Elf form, that means instant death to the Navi or Navis responsible. A Navi must never take up arms against a Cyber Elf. X will be fine in a few hours. For a moment there, we thought it was you that was bleeding. X was under you. He protected you from harm. Dark Rockman wanted to kill you. He planned to kill you. Dark Blues was along for the ride. They are both gone, likely deleted because of what they did. Dark Blues was born from Blues and a dark chip, so Blues won't be affected by Dark Blues's deletion." Enzan closed his eyes, "Do you remember how Dark Rockman formed?"

"Shademan bit Rockman." Netto recalled, "Somehow, the darkness injected into Rockman broke free to form Dark Rockman. What are you getting at, Enzan?"

"Have you noticed that Rockman seems to be taking damage for no reason at all?" Enzan replied carefully.

"I've noticed that. I have been carrying extra nurse elves to deal with it, why?" Netto asked again.

"Are you that dense, Netto? Does Enzan-sama need to spell it out fo-" Enzan quickly flipped his PET, which was laying on the table, over, "Hey! Do you mind?" Blues wasn't happy at the fact he could no longer see anything.

"I told you to stay quiet!" Enzan hissed at the PET, "Blues is just stressed over what happened. Just ignore his outburst." he blushed slightly.

"I'm not dense, Blues!" Netto growled at the PET, "As soon as Rockman's better, I'll sic him on you!" Enzan and Blues both drew a sharp breath, causing Netto to give them an odd look, "Guys, what are you not telling me?"

It was Blues who spoke, "Rockman isn't going to get better."

"What?" Netto gasped, "Talk! What are you trying to tell me?"

"Dark Rockman and Rockman are essentially the same Navi. What ever happens to one, happens to the other. Dark Rockman attacked a Cyber Elf which means deletion for him, and for Rockman. Upstairs, your dad is trying to keep him alive long enough for X to finish healing so he can sever the link between Dark Rockman and Rockman, but Rockman isn't going to last long enough." Enzan braced himself for the scream he knew was coming. He was shocked to hear it come from Blues, albeit muffled by the table. Netto stared at Enzan, her mind numb from shock over what she had just learned. Enzan turned the PET over, "You knew about this, remember?"

"That's not why I screamed! X isn't the only Cyber Elf! One of the other cyber elves could do it, right?" Blues asked.

"No, Blues. X is the only one. The other Elves aren't strong enough for this. X is in a sense, Father Elf. The only other Elf strong enough would be Mother Elf but she is gone."

Without saying a word, Netto got up and ran. Fear for her beloved Rockman made her run faster. Rockman would not die. He couldn't die! Reaching the repair lab, she wormed her way through the growing crowd of scientists to the capsule where Rockman lay. His body was missing great chunks of data, and his breathing was very labored. His skin was the color of pale ash. His fingers clenched, then relaxed as if he were experiencing great pain. Someone put a hand on her shoulder.

"Netto, come with me." Dr. Hikari replied, guiding his daughter into his office, "I know, it looks bad."

"Oh Papa! Can't you make him better?" Netto asked, fighting tears.

"I'm trying. The Nurse elves are keeping the damage at bay, but according to Zero, we need X to sever the link between him and Dark Rockman. The damage is pretty extensive, and even if the link is severed, there is a big chance that Rockman won't make it."

"No! Rock will live! He has to live! I can't lose him!" Netto sobbed, "I did this to him!"

"No, Netto. This is no ones fault. Blame Gauss and Magnetman." Hikari hugged his daughter.

"But Papa! I said the word!" Netto cried, "I said the word!"

"It's okay, Netto. The word will only take Rockman out of commission. It will only cause him enough damage to render him incapable of causing more harm. I already know you used the word. Rockman managed to tell me before I sedated him for the nurse elves to work on him. I want you to be prepared. I may have to euthanize him. If he doesn't get better soon, I will have to euthanize him. Do you know what euthanasia is?" Hikari asked.

"No, I don't." Netto closed her eyes, her face buried in her father's lab coat like she used to do when she was little. She felt her father stroking her hair.

"Euthanasia means painless death. What will happen is this. I'll give him an overdose of sedatives and he will go to sleep. This sleep is one in which he'll never wake up from. The sedatives will take away any and all pain and help his body shut down. Some times euthanasia is better then letting the Navi suffer." Hikari felt Netto crying against his chest. He hoped it wouldn't come down to having to let Rockman go. He looked up as Haruka entered the office looking like she had been crying, "I'm doing everything I can."

"I know." Haruka choked up, "It's still hard."

"Dr. Hikari, X is ready to try to sever the link." Mejin stuck his head into the office.

"All right." Dr. Hikari led his wife and daughter out into a small waiting area, "Stay. This is something you don't have to see, nor do I want you to see." Netto was going to protest, but Haruka shook her head no. Netto sighed. Enzan came out to sit with her.

In side the lab, X prepared for his task. He knew that it would take most of his strength to perform the procedure, and he was ready for it. He had allowed himself some time to rest and heal inside the DA space. Dark Blues had missed him entirely, while Dark Rockman had managed to land a glancing blow off of his shoulder. X had not expected Dark Rockman to twist and nail him in the back as he was teleporting out with Netto. The sudden sharp pain had nearly broke his concentration, but he had managed to push the pain aside and finish the teleport. He closed his eyes and sighed. Opening them, he turned and strode over to join Dr. Hikari and Mejin.

"Doctors." X greeted, "While I usually hang out in bio metal form, I can still slip into my old cyber elf form. I am the strongest in this form. What I am about to do is going to be hard to watch. Rockman will feel everything. I've been through it before. It is like someone is taking a chainsaw and is sawing you in half. It is a pain that I can't really describe." X turned to Rockman, "I'm going in." both cyber elf and Navi vanished to appear inside the Cyberworld. He placed his hands on Rockman's body. Mejin and Hikari watched, both wincing together as Rockman arched his back and screamed. His eyes were wide open. Rockman's Navi mark began to blaze brightly. X grimaced, his eyes closed and brow creased in concentration. Rockman screamed again, a sound that cut through Hikari and Mejin like a hot knife through butter. Mejin managed a strangled cry and left. It hurt him too much to watch a Navi suffer the way X was making Rockman suffer. Hikari stayed. He forced himself to keep watching.

Rockman's mark grew ever brighter. If a cyber elf could sweat, rivers of it would be rolling down X's body. As a small pinpoint of black appeared in Rockman's symbol, X knew he was getting close. The hard part was nearly over. He began to gather up his energy for the final hit. If he struck too soon, or too late, he would lose Rockman. The dark pinpoint grew a little bigger. Rockman thrashed and screamed violently.

"Almost there, Rockman, almost there." X forced all thought of exhaustion and pain from his mind. Just a little longer…

Unbeknownst to him, a pair of dark figures were watching. Dark Blues had his sword out and pressed into the small of Forte's back. Forte knew he would be sweating if he were programmed to. Dark Blues had threatened Netto until Forte agreed to come. Nobody threatened Netto. Dark Blues had seen Dark Rockman's move against X and knew that it met death to him. He had figured out that X would try to sever the link and planed to have Forte use his get ability to retrieve Dark Rockman the second the link was broken.

"Once I get him, you will uphold your end of the bargain! if you don't, I will kill you and Dark Rockman without remorse." Forte readied himself.

X willed the spot of darkness to get bigger. Slowly, a second symbol formed over that of Rockman. This one was black and purple. Rockman howled in the grip of unimaginable agony. Finally, he went still. X nearly dropped to his knees, but forced himself to stay up. A line of black and white light connected the two symbols. X paled. He knew what this meant. One won't survive without the other. If he broke the link, both Rockmans would die. He turned his head slightly.

Forte had the unnerving sensation that X was staring through him rather at him. He felt sudden pain fill his heart. It was so strong that he felt like curling up into a ball and crying for several hours. A few seconds later, he realized he was feeling X's pain over the prospect of losing a son. A second after that, as the pain faded, he realized X was only letting him feel a small part of that pain. Beside him, Dark Blues fought his hardest, but a muffled, albeit strangled sob caught in his throat. He quickly forced himself to quit feeling what X was feeling.

"You know, don't you?" Forte whispered, "You know I can save one, not the other." Forte made his decision. He stood, and strode down to X. Dark Blues found himself following. (He would learn much later that X was controlling his movements, not him.)

"Your choice, Forte." X replied in greeting.

Forte stared at Rockman at his feet, and at the second glowing symbol at eye level with X, which meant he had to look down a bit at it. He thought the choice would be easy, but now, he wasn't so sure. Dark Rockman wanted Rockman dead. He had went as far to forfeit himself in an attack against X. Rockman would not try to do what Dark Rockman had done. He would only harm Dark Rockman enough to stop him from causing any more damage. Rockman always tried to reason with his foes. He never attacked, only defended. Rockman was Forte's only friend. Forte recalled the sheer joy he felt when they used soul unison. He realized tears were running down his cheeks and looked away.

"I can't." He whispered.

"Choose Dark Rockman!" the words were out of Dark Blues mouth before he realized it, "You can get Rockman back by duplicating his data! You know Rockman won't survive!"

"Or, you can choose Rockman. It is very chancy that he won't survive." X replied.

"Your choice, Forte." Hikari finally spoke up, "Whom ever you choose, I won't hold it to you. Nor will Haruka. I can't speak for Netto, but I can speak for myself."

Not realizing how tired she was, Netto was asleep against her mother. She was dreaming about Rockman. Deep down inside, she knew that his fate was being decided.

"Netto-kun, don't cry. I'm never far from you, no matter what happens."

"Saito?" Netto heard herself call out, "Saito, don't go!"

"My Netto-kun. I have never left." Saito smiled.

"I've chosen." Forte walked over to Rockman and plunged his left hand into his chest, "Dark Rockman, you have terrorized the net and put Netto in danger many times. For that, I can't allow you to live. Rockman, I give you the gift of life. Fight for it hard. Netto needs you, and so do I." He drew his hand out of Rockman, and let the dark data of Dark Rockman flow free. He chose not to blast it. It was junk data can had no real use. You couldn't use it to create anything.

"Yes!" Dark Blues took off.

X looked horrified but quickly calmed. Forte couldn't be sure if he saw X's look.

Netto relished her twin brother's arms around her like he used to, before he died of HBD. Suddenly, they drifted apart. Saito clutched his chest and screamed. He seemed to fold into himself.

"Saito!" Netto tried to get to her brothers side, but it was as if she were stuck in quicksand, "Saito!"

Saito shook violently, his body reminding Netto of Rockmans body in the grip of a violent style change. Slowly, a dark blue suit with a cyan stripe on the sides formed around Saito's body. Blue boots and gloves formed over his hands and feet. A blue and cyan helmet matching Rockmans covered his head while the lower part of his hair shortened and formed into Rockman's style. His eyes opened, and he smiled.

"You see, Netto? I've never left." Saito faded quickly. Netto found herself being woke up by her mother, Haruka.

"Netto, wake up, sleepy head." she smiled, "It has been done. Papa says you can go see him for a few minutes before we go home."

"Okay." Netto walked back into Hikari's lab. She went straight to the capsule where X had returned Rockman. X was back in bio metal form, getting chewed out by Zero and Axl while at the same time translating for the nurse elves.

"What were you thinking?" Zero.

"I thought we were partners! Partners trust partners! Didn't the incident after Lumine not teach you that?" Axl.

"Trying to get Rockman stabilized is like trying to get Zero to cut his hair." X translated, "Axl, Zero, save it. I'll deal with you after I deal with this." His words were firm. Axl left to pester Mejin over an upgrade to his bio chip. Netto used the bio chips to merge with the bio metals. Zero gave X a very cold look and refused to budge. X shot him another look that said in no uncertain terms, 'Don't mess with me right now.' Zero threw another look at X, and this went on for a few minutes until the red hunter heaved a sigh, and finally left.

Netto crept up to the capsule and forced herself to look. She didn't expect Rockman to look good, but she was surprised. Rockman showed no trace of any injuries. For all intents and purposes, he looked like he was just sleeping. Other things came up to the surface. Rockman looked pale, too pale. Was his chest moving? Netto almost missed it, but she saw the faint movement. Above her, X cleared his throat. Hikari had asked him to do it, and the biometal wondered if this was Hikari's way of punishing him for what he had done.

"Yes, papa X?" Netto asked, her voice small. X drifted down to her, reverting to his cyber elf form. He looked so solemn, the light cast by the ring of rainbow hued data that circled his head was dim.

"Come." He guided her to a couch and they both sat down, "There is no way to soften this blow, Netto."

"What is wrong? You did the separation, right? Rockman is just sleeping now, right?" Netto asked, "Something went wrong, didn't it? What does Rockman need? I can give him my blood, my DNA, anything!"

"The separation was a success." X kept Forte and Dark Blues's involvement to himself, "It's not that. In the morning, Hikari is going to put Rockman to sleep."

"But isn't he already asleep?" Netto asked confusedly.

"No, Netto. Rockman is going to die in the morning." X clarified.

"What? Why would he die?" Netto asked.

X closed his eyes. He knew that Netto could be clueless, but this was a bit much. He opened his eyes and locked his emerald green gaze onto Netto's brown ones.

"Netto, what I am trying to tell you is this. Hikari is going to euthanize Rockman in the morning. He is going to kill Rockman so he doesn't have to suffer anymore. Do you understand? Rockman is in horrible agony right now. He can't be repaired this time. He is suffering. Hikari is doing the kindest thing he can for Rockman." X explained gently.

"NO! PAPA CAN'T KILL ROCKMAN!" Netto howled, burying her face into X's chest, "HE CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"

"Shh, I know this hurts." X soothed.

"No! you don't know!" Netto yanked herself out of his arms, "You don't know!"

"But I do know, Netto. I've been in this place before. I lost many friends and family during the wars." X replied, his voice calm, "So does Zero and Axl, even more then I do."

As if they heard their names, Axl and Zero walked into the room. They both had reverted from biometal form to their old forms.

"We know, Netto." Axl broke the silence.

Zero sat down on Netto's other side, "Axl and I found ourselves in your same position in 21XX after a mission gone horribly wrong."

"Were you really? Do you know what it is like to be losing your best friend?" Netto choked out.

"We do." Axl nodded.

"Who?" Netto asked.

"Me." X answered.

"You? How? What happened?" Netto asked.

"Long story short. I got hurt really bad and no one thought I would make it. A three month mostly drugged coma later, I pulled through." X explained, "Axl and Zero never left my side once."

Hikari came in, "You told her." his voice was thick.

X nodded, "She understands, but I know she doesn't accept."

"Mama is waiting for you, Netto. Enzan is going to give you two a lift home in his limo." Hikari said.

"I'm not going." Netto looked up at her father, "I'm staying here with Rockman."

"Netto, you need your rest." Hikari reasoned.

"I owe Rockman this! This is his last night and I don't want him to spend it alone!" Netto snapped, "Please, let me stay."

"If it helps, I'll stay with her." Enzan entered the room.

"Please, Papa?" Netto gave him her patented pout.

Hikari looked toward X, who nodded.

"Alright. You may stay with Rockman for the night." Hikari gave in, "It is only fair that you get this time to say good bye to him. I'll be down the hall in my office. I'm staying anyway so I can be here in case Rockman gets worse all of the sudden. Haruka says she wants to stay with me."

"Thank you, Papa." Netto walked over to the capsule. Enzan brought over two chairs. Lakia came in and hugged Netto.

"Want me to stay too?" he asked.

"If you want to." Netto said.

"I'll stay, then." Lakia decided, "Searchman and I have to run about a million tests on the security Navis followed by another million tests in the Scilabs search engines. I'll be back here working." He retreated to the bank of computers covering the back wall of the lab. Netto sat down in a chair, her gaze locked on Rockman. Enzan knew she was hurting. He tried to picture Blues as silent and still as Rockman and couldn't. He didn't want to try to imagine what Netto was going through. All he could do for her was be there. Blues, mercifully, was quiet for once.

Hours crept by. Hikari came in at around eleven to check on Rockman who remained still and silent. Netto felt her eyes growing heavy yet she kept them open. She would not sleep. Enzan remained quiet, knowing that this wasn't the time for words. Behind them, Lakia and Searchman kept a low conversation with tons of subjects going as they worked. Enzan tried to follow, but quickly became lost. Blues continued to remain quiet. Getting worried, Enzan opened his PET to find his Navi sound asleep in a sleep cycle. Enzan felt himself yawn. Glancing at Netto, he noticed that she was trying to stay awake.

"Why don't you let me call the limo to come take you home?" Enzan asked. Netto's head snapped up.

"No, I'm not leaving him. What if it were Blues? Would you leave Blues?" Netto asked.

"Who's leaving me?" Blues happen to wake up to hear the last few words.

"No one." Enzan closed the PET quickly, "No, I wouldn't leave Blues." he ignored Blues muffled protests, "You are exhausted."

"I'm fine." Netto turned her focus on her beloved Navi, who gave a small sigh as his head tilted to the side. It was as if Rockman had no energy left to support his head. Netto felt her last dregs of hope fade. Her eyes grew heavier. She decided to close them for five minutes. Enzan would never know.

Sunlight streaming through a window woke her. Netto blinked, thinking it odd that there was sunlight in the lab without any windows. Suddenly, she bolted off the cot. She was in an office. That could mean only one thing. Rockman was dead. He died during the night and Enzan moved her in here so she wouldn't wake up to see his dead body. Netto ran to the lab to find a crowd of people. Hikari was standing by the capsule, his hand moving toward a switch…

"Wait! Don't do it!" Netto screamed, tears flowing down her face, "Please!"

Enzan turned, "Netto! It's not what you think!"

His words failed to get through her.

"Please! Wait!" Netto got to the capsule.

"Netto, please!" Enzan reached her. He shook her, "It's okay!"

"You're still the drama queen I remember." That voice got through to her, "It's okay. Papa is only making an adjustment to a monitor."

"Rockman! You mean Rockman's better? Wait! Why is Lakia crying?" Netto asked, feeling weak with relief.

"Just tears of joy, Netto. Tears of joy." Lakia smiled, "Enzan fell asleep too. So did I. Rockman was awake when we woke up. Searchman was talking to him."

"Rockman isn't completely out of the woods yet. I'd say we are over the hump. He'll have to stay here for several weeks yet to recover. After that, no net battling or anything strenuous for four more weeks or longer." Hikari turned and smiled, "I've never seen a Navi come back like this before. This is one for the books."

"You haven't mentioned love." Searchman spoke up, "Rockman told me it was that he felt Netto near by that gave him the will to fight back. He knew Netto was there because she loved him. Love is a powerful thing."

"I love Netto too. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving her, not like this. I redoubled my efforts and came back. Nothing is going to keep me away from Netto's side where I belong." Rockman yawned, "You'd think being in a coma for a week would leave you feeling hyper, not tired…" He drifted off to sleep under Netto's watchful, loving gaze. Rockman would make a full recovery and be just fine from his ordeal.

Dark Blues held the fragments of Dark Rockman close to himself. He was deep within the Undernet, at the entrance of a place called the Secret Net. There was someone that could help him restore Dark Rockman. Without a backward glance, he entered the Secret Net. He quickly found whom he was looking for.

"Milady." Dark Blues bowed formally.

The being turned, "Dark one. Why do you foul this sacred realm with your presence?"

"I come to you for help, milady. Please, you must restore Dark Rockman." Dark Blues replied, "I'll leave you alone once Dark Rockman is restored."

The powerful female Navi closed her eyes, her many tendrils of her vast network quivering. Alia felt the healing Rockman, tasted Netto's joy, and decided.

"I do this not for you, but for the sacred balance I protect. you must leave this place at once, and never return again. Just being here upsets the balance." Alia raised her hands and the data reformed into Dark Rockman, "Take it and go."

Dark Blues carried Dark Rockman away.

Alia felt the darkness leave her realm. Just behind her, a blue robed cyber elf with a rainbow ring of data circling his head appeared.

"You did well, Mother Elf." X said.

"Father Elf. I hate having to do what I did. Will they prevail?" Alia asked.

"They will." X smiled, drifting down by her side.

THE END


End file.
